Richard Hammond's Workshop

With being saturated with dross and terrible ideas, this series isn't that. Always liked Richard Hamond and the Top Gear/ Grand Tour series. This isn't that either, this is something more interesting to watch and shows the creak and groans of real life reality of a small business owner. Really interesting too watch, and I am not really into older cars. But it's still interesting to watch History being reborn.

Richard Hammond is a very likeable chap, and obviously has a genuine love of classic cars. Following his story as he sets up his own classic car renovation business is both enjoyable and educational. However, my one, major bug bear with the show is, "Ooh, he's got to spend over 100K on a new whatever, he might go bankrupt." just doesn't sit well. His current worth is estimated at 45 million UK pounds, so he probably makes 100K in interest every year, if not more. So to see him fretting over spending the odd 10 grand here and there is just false drama, and for me, distracts from a genuinely interesting show. Yes, it is important to understand the cost of these things, and is part of the process so should be included in the show. But in every episode so far (3 as I write this) one of the main themes has been about the financial side of the business, and how much this or that costs. Oh I need to put another 15K of my own money in etc. I'd rather they concentrated on the cars and restoration process, while still commenting on the financial investment he is making as an aside.

Really enjoying this, see Hammond trying to start a serious car restoration business with help of 2 locals who have their name & reputation to uphold & how difficult, expensive & how much red tape their is to stating up a business. Enjoying it so far. Recommended.

I would have expected more about the actual car restoration side of the business and less about multimillionaires driving around and worrying about having to invest 100,000 pounds into their startup, all while earning who knows how much from the TV show about said business.

Meanwhile, the format of the show itself is too reality TV-y for my taste. Too much screen time consists of people testifying into the camera and repeating at nauseam what's currently going on. I also don't get a great deal of joy out of watching Richard Hammond being emasculated at home as a recurring theme.

This could have been filmed the same way Clarkson's Farm was. Still obviously dramatized, and yet more... natural. The concept had every right to be just as interesting and entertaining.

Somehow, Richard Hammond's solo projects always end up a bit off, and the least enjoyable to watch out of the Top Gear Three.

Let's face it, Richard Hammond is a very likeable personality. And he is obviously very passionate about vintage cars, probably more so that Clarkson and May. And his dream to set up a workshop that restores and repairs classic and vintage cars is so clearly a long held dream. The two mechanics are both a brilliant sombering foil for Hammond's often misplaced exuberance. It is a really enjoyable show, but the one thing that sticks in my craw, is the constant supposed financial struggles. Hammond selling some of his vintage cars and motorcyles at auction makes for brilliant TV. And his meeting with the accountant telling him he needs to rein in his spending. "The new paint spray and bake rooms are going to cost 200K." At the last count, Hammonds net worth is 45 million UK pounds. So his on screen angst about how they are going to afford things just rings a little hollow. Just wish the'd cut out all the fakery and concentrate on the cars, the workshop, and the mechanics as the real heros.